A spelling bee is a competition where contestants, usually children, are asked to spell words. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States, and spelling bee events are now held in many countries around the world, along with variants that require the memorisation of a specific text, such as France's "La dictée" (de Bernard Pivot) and Poland's "Dyktando". Spelling bees are rare to nonexistent in countries whose national language follows more phonemic spelling rules, as compared to the largely historical spelling of the English and French languages.
The first winner of an official spelling bee was Frank Neuhauser, then 11 years old, won the 1st National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in 1925. The nine finalists were invited to meet Calvin Coolidge at the White House, a tradition followed by presidents for most of the ensuing 86 years of the United States contest.
Read more about Spelling Bee: Etymology, History, National Spelling Bee, School Spelling Bees
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